Micah sat on a dark brown leather sofa at the back of the booth. He had created it as a place to relax for the people in the booth if they didn't want to stand at the front and watch the fights constantly. Rego and Tineya stood behind him on his right and left, respectively. Together, the three of them watched the well-built, surprisingly young-looking man who stood in front of them on unsteady legs.
But even with his pain and faltering balance, Kairon didn't show any signs of weakness or falling over as he did his best to compose himself and maintain a straight face. Kairon looked curiously at Rego and Tineya a few times before he focused his gaze on Micah.
Micah likewise looked at Kairon with slight curiosity. Kairon had shoulder-length dark brown hair that, while slightly rough, didn't look unkempt. But what surprised Micah the most was how young Micah appeared to be.
Despite being as tall as Art, Kairon didn't even look to be much older than his early twenties. It was the youngest he had seen someone be in Hell.
Micah had seen people of various ages in Vanitapolis, but all of them were adults or older. And since he had seen several people who appeared to be old, Micah guessed that he had gotten a youthful body upon his descent to Hell because he was the Hell Restoration Project Manager.
It looked like people generally got bodies similar to the ones they had upon their time of death when they arrived in Hell, which meant that Kairon should have died as a youth. That in itself wasn't very surprising since young people died all the time. Micah was mostly wondering about why Kairon was the first young person he had seen in Vanitapolis.
"Um, Rego said you wanted to see me?"
Kairon spoke carefully. Since Micah appeared to be the boss, it had to be his decision to set two hundred and fifty bronze coins of pol as the prize pool. A person willing to give up so much pol, even if it was just for show, wasn't someone Kairon was foolish enough to be disrespectful toward. But he wasn't going to be subservient just because of that.
"Yeah. Are you interested in becoming my subordinate?"
Micah's question was so straightforward Rego and Tineya didn't even get surprised until a few moments later. Kairon reacted a little quicker, but his reaction was one of doubt and hesitation.
"Umm…."
"Oh, I guess that was a little straightforward of me, right?"
Kairon didn't bother responding to Micah's question since his face showed evident agreement.
"You seemed pretty desperate for the prize pool. Mind if I ask why?"
"Well, I want to become stronger."
"I see. Is it related to your sister?"
Kairon was momentarily surprised, but after looking at Rego and Tineya, his expression turned slightly despondent.
"I don't think I have to ask you how you know that. But yes, it's because of my sister. I need to get strong and get to her as quickly as possible."
Micah's eyes widened in surprise slightly. And he wasn't the only one shocked at the meaning hidden behind Kairon's words.
"You know where she is?!"
Kairon looked at Tineya with a calm face.
"Yes."
"How? Did you succeed in crossing the wasteland?"
Kairon shook his head and answered Tineya since it looked like Micah didn't have any intentions of stopping their conversation.
"Nope. I wouldn't have tried crossing the wasteland if I didn't know which direction to go in, to begin with."
"Then how do you know where she is?"
"I can sense her. Or rather, I could sense her."
Tineya sighed in frustration.
"Can you explain it all in one go without me having to ask you?"
"But you were the one who interrupted me before I could continue?"
"Oi! Focus on what's important."
Kairon wouldn't have tolerated Tineya's attitude or behavior if it had been in the past. But the situation was starkly different now, and he could only do his best to resist the urge to smack Tineya as he continued the explanation.
"This is only a guess. But since my sister and I are twins and died at the same time, we have an inseparable connection. And when I got strong enough, thanks to the effects of pol, I could sense that connection. I'm guessing she also had to get strong, but I'm not sure."
"But you failed to cross the wasteland, and now you're here to get enough pol to try again?"
"Yes."
"And that's why you don't want to become boss' subordinate? Because you need to leave and find your sister?"
Kairon looked at Rego, slightly surprised at the man's loyalty toward Micah since it could be felt through the words he spoke.
"Yes, and because I don't like being under others."
"Not even the man who united Vanitapolis?"
"That's true?! And you're the one who did it?"
Kairon looked at Micah in disbelief. Micah didn't bother answering, and Rego spoke up in his stead.
"Well…?"
Kairon looked even more hesitant than before.
"I don't mean to be rude. But I don't like being entangled with others, especially not as a subordinate. I hope you understand."
"You do realize you're going against the entirety of Vanitapolis-"
"There's no need to threaten him, Rego. He's fully aware of that. He just wants a valid reason to fight against all the others and take their pol. Surprisingly honest for a resident of Hell."
Kairon avoided Micah's intrigued gaze without saying anything.
"I'll hold off on making you my subordinate for now. But, just so you know, you will have a better chance of reuniting with your sister if you follow and help me."
Rego, Tineya, and Kairon looked at Micah with slight surprise. He almost sounded like he was going to expand his influence to other cities.
"What? You didn't think I would be satisfied with Vanitapolis, right? This town is just the beginning."